From the hospital to her own practice: Ana Štanfel Hauser’s story about aesthetic medicine, ethics and entrepreneurship

Aesthetic medicine in Croatia has been experiencing strong growth in recent years, and among those who have left their mark on the scene is Dr. Ana Štanfel Hauser, a general surgery specialist with extensive experience in abdominal surgery.

In an interview with the DBL Podcast, Ana spoke openly about her professional journey, the challenges of transitioning from the public to the private sector, but also about the ethical dilemmas that every responsible doctor faces.

“Being a doctor and being an entrepreneur are actually two different worlds and it’s hard to somehow fit them into one system that moves together,” Ana pointed out, describing how the coronavirus pandemic was a turning point for her transition to private practice. Returning from Dublin and the closed hospitals prompted her to open her own practice: “I had a lot of calls from people… and then I realized that it would actually be good, I had to call that private hospital every time and ask when they had an appointment, then I realized why I shouldn’t have my own practice, because I see that I actually have my own patients and that’s how it started.“

Challenges and responsibilities of aesthetic medicine

Ana comes from a family of doctors and emphasizes how much the experience of working at Vinkovci Hospital, with fellow war surgeons, shaped her professional attitude: “Working with people who gained experience in war is something completely different… growing up with them was a privilege. I couldn’t have received a better education anywhere in the world at that time.“

She entered aesthetic medicine gradually, first out of curiosity, and later out of a desire to offer more with her knowledge and experience: “My surgical experience actually helped me understand these injectable things. In the end, I can now say that I solve other people’s complications every day, which makes me happy.“

However, she warns of the dangers of frivolity and a superficial approach: “These procedures are not for everyone and not everything is for everyone. We can all have everything operated on and put everything in. But do we need that?… Nothing is simple in aesthetics and it’s not cosmetics, it’s medicine,” Ana points out.

Ethics, education and attitude towards patients

Ana emphasizes the importance of education and ethics among doctors: “I think the problem is both with doctors who approach this in a way as if it were a trade, and with patients who don’t understand the consequences, perhaps because they are not well educated. And as doctors, we actually have an obligation to educate them, that nothing is harmless, that nothing is completely destructive, and that everything has its consequences.“

For her, the patient always remains a patient, not a client: “I always say patient precisely because I make the decision and I’m the one who will do something or not… I very often bring patients back and they actually leave happy with the comment ‘Thank you for telling me that.’“

Trendovi, društvene mreže i budućnost struke

When asked about trends and the influence of social media, Ana is clear: “The word trend in medicine, including aesthetic medicine, should not exist. I think it all comes down to the education of doctors and ethics.” She is particularly concerned about young people: “Young girls and boys have a problem here. I think they have a big problem. This perception of their beauty, how they should look… No one talks about where they will go to school and what they will be when they grow up. They just take pictures and look at their contours and physiognomy.“

Although the legal regulations are not yet strict enough, Ana believes that consultations with a psychiatrist should become mandatory before major procedures: “Maybe something like that should be done for the future. That a consultation with a psychiatrist is required before a major procedure.“

Entrepreneurship and personal development

Opening her own practice was a combination of vision, determination, and family support: “The most important thing for you is to wake up at five. When everyone is sleeping… You’ll get there. That’s for sure, I’m sure of it.” She is driven by perfectionism in her work, but also by responsibility towards her patients: “I constantly care for my patients… I don’t think there’s any fear. They recognize that, too.“

Finally, Ana tells her young colleagues: “It’s not that scary if you read the rules. It’s not difficult to open a practice. You should master as many skills as possible during your specialization, no matter what your profession in medicine is. And in fact, when you master the skills and knowledge, there is no fear, no matter where or what happens.“

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This is just part of the conversation from the new episode of the DBL Podcast – watch the whole show on our Youtube channel and don’t forget to subscribe!